It’s All About Me

Great post Mike. I can’t yet articulate it like you, but I too experienced all this. Teaching Henry Blackaby, in our small group. And many of the Richard Foster (my wife’s brother and his wife were actually members of his little church in the 70’s) books in our Sunday School class. Eventually, God brought me to sites like Ken’s and yours, but unfortunately not any of my friends followed along. With two I devoted myself back towards the Bible alone although eventual adding in studies in the historical Protestant Confessions and Catechisms to help reinforce the Biblical doctrines we should know and follow. I always like the way the KJV, uses the word doctrine, which really means teaching, but seems to give it a more imperative importance.

Eventually, I added in some readings from people like Bunyan, Gill, Ryle, Wylie and others, replacing my focus on the 20th Century popularly promoted pastors in our current world through books, conferences, music, etc.

I like to think in God’s sovereignty he makes his disciples but we are called to help teach all the doctrines he has given us, not a methodology of “the disciplines”.

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

You could not say this any better….

“I finally found the place from which all truth is based and from it He directs our paths and guides us only deeper into His Truth.

That anchor point is Sola Scriptura.

You see, the mysticism and contemplative spiritualism (or whatever you want to call it) stuff is actually a hermeneutic. A hermeneutic is a filter through which the Bible is interpreted. Ken Silva’s post from 2010 on this is a must read. We must understand how vulnerable the Christian is who is sincerely seeking the spiritual place which God wants for them. If they do not become anchored in His Sovereignty and Sola Scriptura then they are incredibly open to deception.”